plate no. 4014

The Artist and His Family

Lovis Corinth, 1909

oilImpressionismportraitfamilyportraitfiguresinteriorclothing

experienced study

Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in capturing likenesses, creating dynamic compositions, and using expressive brushwork to convey form and texture. It also provides practice in mixing subtle color variations to achieve realistic skin tones and fabric textures.

technical profile

palette complexity

brushwork visibility

value contrast

compositional simplicity

study guide

est. 20 hrs

approach — 8 steps

step 01
Begin with a light sketch to establish the composition and proportions of the figures.
step 02
Block in the main shapes and values using thin washes of color.
step 03
Start building up layers of paint, focusing on the areas of greatest contrast and detail.
step 04
Use broken brushstrokes to create texture and movement in the clothing and background.
step 05
Pay close attention to the skin tones, mixing subtle variations of color to capture the light and shadow.
step 06
Refine the details of the faces, focusing on the eyes and mouth.
step 07
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
step 08
Make final adjustments to the composition and color balance.

color palette

primary · ivory black · raw umber · titanium white · yellow ochre

secondary · cadmium red light · ultramarine blue · burnt sienna

Mix various shades of brown and gray by combining ivory black, raw umber, and titanium white. Add small amounts of cadmium red or ultramarine blue to warm or cool the tones as needed. Use yellow ochre to create highlights and warm skin tones.

techniques

·broken brushstrokes
·scumbling
·alla prima
·color mixing
·layering

common pitfalls

→Overworking the painting and losing the freshness of the brushstrokes.
→Failing to capture the likenesses of the figures.
→Using too much detail in the background, which can distract from the main subject.
→Not paying enough attention to the values, which can flatten the image.